Adyen Alternatives for European Merchants (2026 Comparison)

Adyen and nine alternatives at a glance (pricing checked October 2026)

Adyen alternatives in Europe: providers compared on pricing, methods and contracts

This comparison covers what Adyen is, documented reasons merchants look for a Adyen alternative, how other providers compare, and how to switch or add a second provider without losing stored payment details. Prices are quoted only where the provider publishes them, with the date we checked. Related comparisons: Stripe alternatives, Mollie alternatives and Worldpay alternatives.

The table lists providers often compared with Adyen in Europe. Prices are shown only where the provider publishes them; "quote-based" means the price depends on a negotiated offer.

OrsunPay is a payment orchestration platform that connects you to licensed PSPs; it does not process or hold funds itself.

For iDEAL and Bancontact, check each provider's method list; see the iDEAL and Bancontact pages. For a breakdown of interchange, scheme fees and margins, see payment processing fees.

What is Adyen and who does it fit?

Adyen is a Dutch payments company that runs gateway, risk management and acquiring on one platform, for online, in-app and in-store payments. It works with large and mid-size merchants and platforms, and lists its European licences on its website; check the current list there.

Adyen fits merchants with significant volume, several countries and channels, and a team that can work with interchange++ reporting. It is less often chosen by small merchants because of the minimum invoice and sales-led onboarding.

Pricing. Adyen charges a fixed processing fee per transaction plus a fee by payment method; for Visa and Mastercard that method fee is interchange++ plus a percentage markup. Adyen states it has no setup or monthly fees but does have a minimum invoice depending on industry or business model (adyen.com/pricing, checked 23 October 2026). The page shows fees in the visitor's currency, so check the euro amounts for your account.

Why do merchants look for a Adyen alternative?

Merchants usually look for an alternative for documented, practical reasons rather than one single problem. The common ones:

None of these means Adyen is a poor choice. They describe situations in which a different or an additional provider can fit better.

• Minimum invoice. Adyen's pricing page states a minimum invoice depending on industry or business model. For a merchant whose volume falls below that level, the effective cost per transaction rises.
• Sales-led onboarding. Adyen onboarding goes through its sales team and eligibility criteria, which Adyen publishes. Smaller merchants sometimes prefer self-service sign-up.
• Restricted industries. Adyen publishes eligibility criteria listing business types it cannot serve. Merchants outside those criteria need another provider.
• Dependence on one platform. Because Adyen combines gateway and acquiring, moving away means moving both. Some merchants add a second provider to reduce that dependence.

What does a payment cost at Adyen compared with Stripe and Mollie?

The examples below apply each provider's published standard rates, checked in October 2026, to typical baskets. For Adyen card payments we assume an EEA consumer debit card at the EU interchange cap of 0.2% and leave out scheme fees, so the real Adyen card cost is slightly higher. The figures are illustrative.

The pattern is consistent: on cards, interchange++ is typically cheaper than blended pricing for a domestic EEA debit mix, while for iDEAL and SEPA Direct Debit the three providers end up within a few cents of each other.

Which Adyen alternatives suit larger merchants?

Larger merchants usually compare providers that offer interchange++ pricing, local acquiring in several countries and account management.

At this size, the main questions are acquiring licences in your key countries, authorisation rates by market, reporting detail and the notice period of the contract. See what a payment service provider is for the roles behind these offers.

• Adyen combines gateway, risk tools and acquiring, with interchange++ pricing and a minimum invoice by industry (adyen.com/pricing).
• Checkout.com serves large online merchants with negotiated pricing and acquiring in many markets.
• Worldpay, now part of Global Payments, offers enterprise acquiring online and in store.
• Nexi is strong in Italy, the Nordics and German-speaking markets after its acquisitions of local acquirers.
• Stripe offers custom pricing and account management to large merchants on top of its standard platform.

Which Adyen alternatives suit small and mid-size businesses?

Smaller merchants usually want published prices, self-service onboarding and no monthly minimum.

At this size, read the contract for payout schedules, reserve clauses and termination terms as carefully as the headline rate.

• Mollie publishes flat prices for cards and many local methods and states no minimum costs (mollie.com/pricing).
• Stripe publishes standard prices and has no setup or monthly fees on standard pricing (stripe.com/ie/pricing).
• SumUp focuses on small businesses, especially in-store, with published rates.
• Payone and Unzer serve German and Austrian merchants with local contracts and support.
• PayPal and Braintree add the PayPal wallet, which shoppers in Germany use widely; see PayPal alternatives for business.

Adyen vs Stripe: what is the difference?

Both companies offer one platform for many methods and countries, but they start from different places. Adyen is acquirer-led and uses interchange++ with a processing fee and a minimum invoice by industry (adyen.com/pricing, checked 23 October 2026). Stripe is developer-led with published blended prices, for example 1.5% + €0.25 for standard EEA cards in Ireland (stripe.com/ie/pricing, checked 23 October 2026), and self-service onboarding. Adyen is common at large retailers and marketplaces with in-store and online volume; Stripe is common at start-ups, SaaS and platforms. Larger merchants on Stripe can negotiate custom pricing, which narrows the gap.

What should you check before signing with a Adyen alternative?

Headline rates are only part of the cost. Before you sign, check these points in the offer and the contract:

Ask for answers in writing. A provider that cannot state its fees clearly before you sign is unlikely to make them clearer afterwards.

• Pricing model. Blended, interchange++ or tiered, and which card types fall into which rate. See payment processing fees.
• Fixed charges. Monthly fees, minimum invoice or minimum monthly service charge, PCI DSS fees and terminal rental.
• Event fees. Chargeback, refund, payout and currency conversion fees.
• Reserves and payout schedule. Whether the provider can hold a rolling reserve, under which conditions, and how often you are paid out.
• Methods by country. Whether the local methods you need are live in your markets, and at what price.
• Business eligibility. The provider's published restricted business list.
• Exit terms. Notice period, closure fees and the process for exporting card data.
• Support. Channels, languages and whether you get a named contact.

Is Adyen available in Germany and other EU countries?

Yes. Adyen serves merchants in Germany and across the EEA, and supports German methods such as SEPA Direct Debit and cards with local acquiring. In the Netherlands, where Adyen is based, merchants searching "concurrenten Adyen" usually compare Mollie, Stripe, Worldpay and Buckaroo or Pay.nl.

Should you replace Adyen or add a second provider?

Many merchants add a second provider instead of replacing the first. The decision depends on what problem you want to solve:

Running two providers adds work: two contracts, two settlement files and two dashboards. A payment orchestration layer reduces that work by giving you one integration and one set of reports across providers.

How does OrsunPay help run Adyen alongside other PSPs?

OrsunPay is payment orchestration software: you connect Adyen and other PSPs through one integration and choose which provider handles which methods or markets.

Provider connections let you add or remove providers without rebuilding checkout.

Rule-based routing and retries across connected providers let you decide which provider handles each payment and retry declined payments on another connection.

One set of reports shows payments across providers.

Your contracts, pricing, payouts and dispute handling stay with each provider. OrsunPay connects you to licensed PSPs and acquirers.

How do you switch from Adyen to another provider?

1. Choose the new provider and sign Compare price lists, method coverage and contract terms, and check that the provider accepts your business type.
2. Request the card data export Ask Adyen to export stored card data to the new provider's PCI DSS compliant environment. Both providers must agree on format and timing.
3. Map subscriptions List active subscriptions with their billing dates and amounts, and recreate them on the new provider with the imported card tokens.
4. Move SEPA mandates Existing SEPA Direct Debit mandates can usually continue under your creditor identifier; inform customers if the collecting provider or the name on the statement changes. See SEPA Direct Debit.
5. Run both in parallel Route a share of new payments to the new provider, compare authorisation rates and settlement, then increase the share.
6. Close the old account Keep it open long enough to handle refunds and disputes on old payments, then end the contract under its notice terms.